So far, in order to cope with the enforcement of regulations regarding promotion of quality of waterproofing and airtight dwelling houses (dwelling houses having excellent waterproofing properties and airtightness) and the energy saving following high airtightness and high heat insulation of dwelling houses, waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes have been used in gaps between a structure of dwelling house and a member or between members (mainly surroundings of sash openings or joints such as overlaps of moisture-penetrating waterproofing sheets) for the purpose of realizing waterproofing properties and airtightness (see JP-A-2003-138227, JP-A-2003-41233 and JP-A-9-209464). (The term “JP-A” as used herein means an “unexamined published Japanese patent application”.) Conventional waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are, for example, constructed such that a butyl rubber, a rubberized asphalt, an acrylic adhesive, etc. is coated on one side of a substrate (such as non-woven fabrics, woven fabrics, and plastic films). These conventional waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes can follow the movement of structures of dwelling houses or various members and exhibit waterproofing properties and airtightness over a long period of time.
However, in almost all cases, the conventional waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes were used in the planar portions in which no elongation of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is required, such as the horizontal plane, the vertical plane, or a rectangular portion of member, and it was not assumed that the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape be applied in the elongated state. Accordingly, in almost all cases, the conventional waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes usually had an elongation at break of from 20 to 70% with the exception of a part thereof. For this reason, for example, in applying a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape to openings (such as penetration portions of water feed/discharge pipes and ventilation fans) or shaped portions (mainly external angles or convexes), the plane of a structure to which the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape is stuck becomes two or three planes, and conventional waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes are hardly applied. Even though the application could be achieved, peeling or wrinkle is generated in the sticking portion of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. For this reason, a problem that the waterproofing properties and airtightness cannot be kept is generated.
Also, according to the conventional application method, as a method of realizing waterproofing properties and airtightness of openings or shaped portions, there are employed a method of using plastic moldings, a method of overlapping waterproofing and airtight pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes having been cut into a proper length, and a method of using a tape or sheet comprising a crepe-formed substrate having a pressure-sensitive adhesive coated thereon. In these methods, for example, in the method of using moldings, moldings having a number of shapes are required, and the application requires time and labor such that in installation, fixing is carried out using a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape. On the other hand, in the method of overlapping pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes and the method of using a pressure-sensitive adhesive tape using a crepe-formed substrate, in many cases the surface of the pressure-sensitive adhesive tape (surface of the substrate) is rough or irregular. Thus, a waterway is liable to be generated in overlaps of pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes because of a lowering of the adhesive strength by a reduction of the adhesive surface. Also, use of a sealing material, etc. becomes necessary for the purpose of sufficient adhesion under pressure or assistance of waterproof, if desired. In this way, it is the actual situation that sufficient waterproof properties and airtightness are hardly obtained and that the application requires time and labor.
Further, as other methods, there is employed a method of filling or coating a material in the clay or rubber sheet form, or a butyl based or silicone based sealing material. However, though the material in the clay or rubber sheet form or the sealing material before curing is suitable for filling a narrow gap, such materials are likely damaged because their strength is low. Also, these materials hardly follow excessive movement of the structure or members so that they are neither suitable for filling or coating to be employed in broad portions nor satisfactory.